The greatest mind in Western music is examined by a National Book Award–winning writer on culture and psychology in this concise account of the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The composer’s unshakable hold on the public’s fascination can only be strengthened by the historian and biographer Peter Gay’s bold new perspective.

His passionate and painstaking research reveals truths more fascinating than the myths that have long shrouded the maestro’s life. Here is the archetypal child prodigy whose genius triumphed over early precociousness and who later broke away from a loving but tyrannical father to pursue his vision unhampered. This is the perfect biography for anyone who has ever wanted to know about Mozart but does not want to dig through massive tomes.

“[A] stunning portrait of the disparate sides of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.”—New York Times Book Review Download and start listening now!

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Listener Opinions

Marie | 2/20/2014

" The subject matter was interesting, but I did not like the fact that the information was not presented in chronological order. I felt that at certain points the writing was a bit too dense for the subject matter. "

Snufkin | 2/18/2014

" A nice, simple and short introduction to Mozart! "

Paul Jellinek | 2/14/2014

" A briskly written, sympathetic portrait of one of the greatest geniuses ever to grace the human race. This book sparkles like one of Mozart's early piano concertos, and was a joy from start to finish. "

Erik | 1/27/2014

" I had read a bit of Peter Gay's work in the past (his shorter biography of Freud) and never noticed his writing, which is, in most cases, a compliment. I couldn't help but feel that this work could of had a simpler tone. And I wasn't crazy about the book's organization either, which was more topical than chronological. The chronological jumping around just doesn't do it for me with biographies. That said, Peter Gay is Peter Gay and I respect his scholarship immensely. "

Faten Eassa | 1/16/2014

" Reveals so much about Mozart and his era. I thought I knew everything about Mozart's talent and tragedy until I read this book. It reads like a thriller, very different from most of Mozart's biographies. "

Laura | 1/8/2014

" think this is the one i read. not sure though. it's been a while. =0 "

Marcus | 1/6/2014

" This was a pretty good, quick bio of Mozart. It definitely didn't glorify him. Beyond his musical genius he was portrayed as a pretty normal guy--irresponsible with money, a bit of a philanderer and amused (perhaps more than the normal guy) with body humor. "

Ramblemonster | 12/26/2013

" This book serves as an excellent primer for someone in need of an overview of Mozart's life. I would recommend this book for a music layperson or someone who wants a quick outline before more intensive study. "

Casey | 12/20/2013

" I wasn't crazy about the order of the dates he put the events, but Gay got the point across. I wanted to learn a little bit about Mozart and this book was great for that. It covered the surface and main points of his life. "

Linda Appelbaum | 12/3/2013

" Interesting book and just shows how the movie about Mozart got it so wrong! "

David | 6/16/2013

" Pretty good book about the life of Mozart. He was an amazingly gifted composer. More than anything else I found the description of life and social classes interesting. "

Kirsten | 6/8/2013

" A fun introduction to his life--and now I want to listen to all the pieces highlighted within. Where to note that? How many lists can a person have going of things to read, listen to, watch, experience, visit at some future date? "

Aaron | 4/10/2013

" Nice quick account of his life, relationships, and how and when his music was composed. As expected, he was an interesting figure with quite a few surprises. "

Denise | 10/18/2012

" Interestingly factual. if your interested in mozart's life this is a good book to read. "

" I really liked the way this book was structured, with a different chapter for each facet of Mozart's life (for example: childhood, personal, operas, Requiem.) "

Tanja | 10/10/2011

" Okay. I didn't really like the thematic dividing of chapters rather than the tale of his life being told chronologically. "

Nils | 9/27/2011

" A good short biography, perhaps a little light on the more colorful aspects of Mozart's character, but useful for situating him firmly in the grasping bourgeois part of the court life of late ancien regime Europe. Not wonderful, alas, on just what it is that make's Mozart music so sublime. "

Patrick | 6/3/2011

" Pretty good book on Mozart. More interesting than I expected it to be. "

Ramblemonster | 2/16/2011

" This book serves as an excellent primer for someone in need of an overview of Mozart's life. I would recommend this book for a music layperson or someone who wants a quick outline before more intensive study.
"

Tanja | 1/3/2011

" Okay. I didn't really like the thematic dividing of chapters rather than the tale of his life being told chronologically.
"

Casey | 10/22/2010

" I wasn't crazy about the order of the dates he put the events, but Gay got the point across. I wanted to learn a little bit about Mozart and this book was great for that. It covered the surface and main points of his life.
"

Aaron | 10/8/2010

" Nice quick account of his life, relationships, and how and when his music was composed. As expected, he was an interesting figure with quite a few surprises.
"

Denise | 7/14/2010

" Interestingly factual. if your interested in mozart's life this is a good book to read.
"

Faten | 10/25/2009

" Reveals so much about Mozart and his era. I thought I knew everything about Mozart's talent and tragedy until I read this book. It reads like a thriller, very different from most of Mozart's biographies.
"

" The subject matter was interesting, but I did not like the fact that the information was not presented in chronological order. I felt that at certain points the writing was a bit too dense for the subject matter.
"

Laura | 9/30/2008

" think this is the one i read. not sure though. it's been a while. =0
"

Marcus | 9/17/2008

" This was a pretty good, quick bio of Mozart. It definitely didn't glorify him. Beyond his musical genius he was portrayed as a pretty normal guy--irresponsible with money, a bit of a philanderer and amused (perhaps more than the normal guy) with body humor.

"

Vicki | 9/13/2008

" This is one book that made me wish that I knew more about music just so that I could understand a lot of it. While a good account of Mozart's life, I wish that it had had some explanation (a glossary or something in the text) to explain what the musical terms meant.
"

McLovin | 3/21/2008

" Pretty good book about the life of Mozart. He was an amazingly gifted composer. More than anything else I found the description of life and social classes interesting.
"

About the Author

Peter Gay is Sterling Professor of
History Emeritus at Yale University and former director of the New York Public
Library's Center for Scholars and Writers. The author of more than twenty-five
books, he has received numerous awards for his scholarship, including the
National Book Award in History and Biography, the first Amsterdam Prize for
Historical Science from The Hague, and the Gold Medal of the American Academy
of Arts and Letters. He was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1923 and immigrated to
the United States in 1941.

About the Narrators

Alexander Adams was named by AudioFile as one of the Best Voices of the Century and now includes him in their annual Golden Voices roundup of top narration talent. He has recorded over 500 audiobooks. To date he has won eighteen of AudioFile‘s coveted Earphone Awards and one Audie Award.

Grover Gardner (a.k.a. Tom Parker) is an award-winning narrator with over eight hundred titles to his credit. Named one of the “Best Voices of the Century” and a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, he has won three prestigious Audie Awards, was chosen Narrator of the Year for 2005 by Publishers Weekly, and has earned thirty-seven Earphones Awards.

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